Frequently Asked Questions

Care Levels & Setting Comparisons

  • In Virginia, both are licensed as assisted living by the Virginia Department of Social Services. The difference is size and feel. Larger communities often have dozens or even hundreds of residents. A residential home like ours is designed for no more than 8 residents, so our team gets to know each resident's routines, preferences and emotional needs. It's not just help with daily tasks. It's connection, dignity and a real sense of home.

  • Smaller, home-based settings like Woodhaven Homes make room for deeper relationships, more one-on-one attention and stronger family involvement. With fewer residents, routines can follow each person instead of a facility schedule, and families get to know the whole care team by name.

Pricing & Payment

  • Private rooms start at $8,900 a month. That rate covers your loved one's private room, utilities, three home-cooked meals a day plus snacks, housekeeping and laundry, transportation coordination, social activities and wellness programming.

  • Our care team, including a licensed administrator and a registered nurse with input from your loved one's physician, does a thorough evaluation of functional, medical and behavioral needs. We translate that assessment into a care tier. As needs change, we review the care plan with you and talk through any change in support (and fees) before it takes effect, so you only pay for the care your loved one actually needs.

  • When a loved one needs round-the-clock support, families often start with in-home care. Once care runs past 6 to 8 hours a day, the cost and the juggling add up fast.

    In Virginia, the 2025 median cost of a full-time, non-medical home caregiver (44 hours a week) was $80,080 a year, about $6,670 a month, according to the CareScout Cost of Care Survey. That covers about a quarter of the hours in a week. Add the cost of the home itself, utilities, food and transportation, and the total can pass $10,000 a month without true 24/7 coverage.

    At Woodhaven Homes, care is on site 24/7 and costs are bundled into one predictable monthly rate that covers your loved one's room, meals, medication support and daily care. No rotating caregivers to schedule and no gaps when someone calls out.

Care Services & Levels

  • We offer Basic Support plus three levels: Level 1 (independent, plus medication management), Level 2 (help with bathing, dressing and transfers) and Level 3 (full help with daily activities and specialized support based on functional needs).

  • A licensed administrator and registered nurse lead the evaluation, in partnership with your physician, to create a personalized, evolving care plan.

  • We support residents in the early stages of memory loss, such as mild cognitive impairment or early dementia, and we have Certified Dementia Practitioners on staff. Our small size means a calm routine, familiar faces and lots of one-on-one attention, which can make a real difference.

    Woodhaven is not a secured (locked) memory care unit. If your loved one is at risk of wandering or needs a secured setting, a dedicated memory care community will be a better fit, and we'll be honest with you about that during the care assessment.

    Learn more about our early memory support.

Community & Lifestyle

  • We plan activities around each resident's interests: art, gentle fitness and chair yoga, strength training at different levels, gardening, music and local outings. Physical, occupational and speech therapy can be arranged at the home through outside providers when your loved one's doctor orders it, and these are usually billed to Medicare or insurance.

  • Safety is our highest priority. Woodhaven Homes follows Virginia's assisted living standards set by the Virginia Department of Social Services. Our home is designed with wide, well-lit hallways, non-slip flooring and emergency call systems in every private room. We do regular health checks and keep detailed emergency plans for medical events, fire, severe weather and infectious outbreaks. Our security systems also provide 24/7 monitoring, so residents are looked after around the clock.

Choosing the Right Community

  • Good topics to cover: staffing ratios and training, dining menus, activity calendars, wellness and therapy services, safety features such as handrails and emergency plans, how and when prices go up, and how the team talks with families when a resident's condition changes. It's also smart to ask for the home's most recent state licensing inspection report.

  • Consider levels of care offered (independent living vs. assisted living vs. memory care), community size, cultural/religious programs, dietary and social preferences, and proximity to family and doctors.

Virginia Assisted Living Rules, Explained

Is someone awake overnight?

Yes. Virginia requires at least one direct care staff member to be awake and on duty whenever residents are home, in any home licensed for assisted living care.1 At Woodhaven, a caregiver is awake and on duty all night.

What kind of license does Woodhaven have?

Virginia licenses assisted living at two levels: residential living care, for people who need a little help, and assisted living care, for people who need more.2 Woodhaven is approved for the assisted living care level, so we can keep caring for residents as their needs grow, within the limits Virginia sets. Read more about the difference.

Can we visit anytime?

Yes. Virginia rules say homes must allow visits every day and can't limit visiting hours unless the resident chooses to.3 Come for dinner. Stay for coffee.

Who gives my parent their medications?

Only a Virginia-licensed nurse or a medication aide registered with the Virginia Board of Nursing. Any change needs an order from a doctor or other prescriber, and medications get a full review every six months.4

How much notice is there if a resident has to move?

Virginia sets clear steps. Planning starts right away, the move is expected within 30 days, and you get written notice of the date at least 14 days ahead. The only exception is a true emergency.5 See the full rules.

How much notice do we give if we decide to move?

30 days. That's the most Virginia allows a home to require.5

Sources

  1. Virginia Administrative Code, 22VAC40-73-280 (staffing)↩
  2. Virginia Administrative Code, 22VAC40-73-10 (care level definitions)↩
  3. Virginia Administrative Code, 22VAC40-73-540 (visiting)↩
  4. Virginia Administrative Code, 22VAC40-73-650 (prescriber orders), -670 (who may give medications), -690 (medication review)↩
  5. Virginia Administrative Code, 22VAC40-73-430 (discharge)↩